AT&T Begins Random Activation Of MMS For iPhone Users

While Apple enabled MMS functionality in iPhone OS 3.0, AT&T has, according to the company, held back rolling it out because of potential network issues. In other words, AT&T is saying, "We're not ready!"

At least AT&T was saying that. In addition to setting a hard date of Sept. 25th for a rollout of MMS functionality to users, it appears the carrier is staging MMS functionality upgrades, rolling it out across the country gradually.

You'll recall that what AT&T did previously was mark the MMS feature in iPhone users' accounts as "opted out." It appears, based on end user reports, that they are randomly going through accounts and activating MMS gradually, to avoid the big "iPhone MMS landrush," so to speak.

Images via AppleInsider

According to the reports, once activated, you'll see a screen like the above on your iPhone's Settings, General, Network page, with a new "Cellular Data Network" menu item.
You will also see a camera icon in your messaging app.

The question is, will end users find this all that exciting? Realistically, while another checkbox for the iPhone's feature set, what we'd all like to see is background processing and Google Voice. OK, OK, maybe we all don't want to see Google Voice, since it's still being doled out piecemeal, but background processing? Heck, yes.